Guns and Hitler portraits found in burnt down farm

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Police investigating a fire at a farm in Thalgau in the state of Salzburg say they have found several weapons as well as portraits of Adolf Hitler in the burnt-out building.

The prosecutor ordered that the premises be searched after the bodies of several animals were found in the embers of the fire. As it was not clear if they had been killed by the flames there was a suspicion that the owner may be guilty of animal cruelty.

During a search of the premises on Tuesday, investigators found the bodies of ten small animals, as well as two shotguns, three firearms, a copy of Hitler's autobiographical book Mein Kampf and several pictures and busts of Hitler.

The owner of the farm is already known to the police. A large arsenal of more than 130 weapons and ammunition was discovered in the same farm after a fire in 2011.

Police have now banned the owner of the farm from having a gun permit and are investigating him on suspicion of cruelty to animals. It's not clear what caused the fire, although a court-appointed expert said that it could be a case of arson.

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